Habitat Assessment

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Habitat Assessment
2. Assessment Parameters
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Habitat Assessment Measurements
1. Epifaunal Substrate / Available Cover
2. Embeddedness
3. Velocity-Depth Combinations
4. Sediment Deposition
5. Channel Flow Status
6. Channel Alteration
7. Frequency of Riffles
8. Bank Stability
9. Bank Vegetative Protection
10. Riparian Vegetative Zone Width
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Gabbard Substrate Scale
Sand
Gravel
Cobble
Boulder
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Name that Sediment
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1
3
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Epifaunal Substrate Epi on top of Fauna
animals Substrate material on the bottom
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Epifaunal SubstrateHard substrates such as
-cobble, large gravel, and - other submerged
structures EX snags
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Bedrock Bottom (limestone)
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Epifaunal SubstrateHard substrates such as
cobble, large gravel, and other submerged
structures such as snags (fallen trees logs
partially submerged in the water)
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Available Cover for Fish ex Snags
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Available Cover for Fish
undercut stream banks
Snags and woody debris
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Optimal 70 of substrate is favorable - woody
debris, large gravel, cobble, undercut banks
SUBOPTIMAL 40-70 mix of stable habitat
Presence of additional substrate in the form
of new-fall may rate at high end of
category. MARGINAL 20-40 mix of stable
habitat POOR Less than 20 stable habitat
lack of habitat is obvious substrate unstable
or lacking.
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1. Epifaunal Substrate / Available Cover
Poor Range
Optimal
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2 Embeddedness
Embed to implant fix or set securely or deeply
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Optimal ØGravel, cobble, and boulders are 0-25
surrounded by fine sediment ØLayers of cobble are
present providing a diversity of niche
space. Suboptimal Gravel, cobble, and boulders
are 25-50 surrounded by fine sediment Marginal G
ravel, cobble,and boulders are 50-75 surrounded
by fine sediment Poor Gravel, cobble, and
boulders are more than 75 surrounded by fine
sediment
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2. Embeddedness
Optimal
Poor Range
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3 Velocity Depth Regime
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Thalweg - the fastest flowing water in the stream
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Different Velocity/Depth Regimes Different
Stream Habitats
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Caddisfly in Case
Hellgrammite
Riffle Inhabitants
Madtom
Sculpin
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Green Drake (mayfly)
Pool Inhabitants
Midge Larvae
Creek Chub
Longnose Sucker
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Velocity Depth Different Regimes Stream
Habitats

• Deep Fast (Run)
• Deep Slow (Pool)
• Shallow Fast (Riffle)
• Shallow Slow (Glide)

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Optimal All 4 combinations present (only 1
riffle - score lower optimal) Suboptimal Ø Only 3
of the 4 combinations present Ø If fast-shallow
is missing, score the site lower in this
category Marginal Ø Only 2 of the 4
combinations present Ø If fast-shallow or
slow-shallow are missing, score site lower in
this category Poor Only 1 of the 4 combinations
present
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3. Velocity-Depth Regime
Optimal
Poor Range
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4 Sediment Deposition
Point Bars
Shoal
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Large amount of sediment deposited forming an
island
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• Optimal Little or no enlargement of islands or
  point bars
• ?less than 5 of bottom affected by sediment
  deposition.
• Suboptimal Some new increase in bar formation,
  mostly from gravel, sand or find sediment
• ? 5-30 of the bottom affected ? Slight
  deposition in pools.
• Marginal Moderate deposition of new gravel,
  sand or fine sediment on old and new bars
• ? 30-50 of the bottom affected
• ? Sediment deposits at obstructions,
  constrictions bends
• ? Moderate deposition of pools prevalent
• Poor Heavy deposits of fine material, increased
  bar development
• ?More than 50 of the bottom changing frequently
• ? Pools almost absent due to substantial
  sediment deposition

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4. Sediment Deposition
Poor Range
Optimal
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5 Channel Flow Status OPTIMAL Ø Water reaches
base of both lower banks Ø Minimal amount of
channel substrate is exposed. SUBOPTIMAL Ø Water
fills gt75 of the available channel OR Ø lt25 of
channel substrate is exposed MARGINAL Ø Water
fills 25-75of the available channel
AND/OR Ø Riffle substrates are mostly
exposed. POOR Ø Very little water in channel
and Ø Water mostly present as standing pools
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5 Channel Flow Status?
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5 Channel Flow Status?
Optimal - water from bank to bank.
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5 Channel Flow Status?
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5 Channel Flow Status?
Poor Very little water in channel and water
mostly present as standing pools.
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5 Channel Flow Status?
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5 Channel Flow Status?
Marginal water fills 25-75 of the available
channel
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5 Channel Flow Status?
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5 Channel Flow Status?
Suboptimal Water fills gt75 of channel
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6. Channel Alteration
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Hardening channel with concrete, riprap or
other hard structures (including bridge
abuttments) gt Dams
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Stream Hardening
Riprap
Gabbions
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Stream Hardening
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6. Channel Alteration

• Optimal Channelization or dredging absent or
  minimal
• Stream with normal pattern
• Suboptimal Some channelization present, usually
  in areas of bridge abutments. Evidence of past
  channelization may be present, but recent
  channelization is not present (greater than past
  20 yr)
• Marginal Channelization may be extensive.
  Embankments or shoring structures present on both
  banks
• 40-85 of stream reach channelized and disrupted
• Poor Banks shored with gabion or cement
• Over 80 of stream reach channelized and
  disrupted
• Instream habitat greatly altered or removed
  entirely

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6. Channel Alteration
Optimal
Poor Range
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7 Frequency of Riffles
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Distance between riffles Width of stream
Frequency of Riffles
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Frequency of Riffles
Distance Between Riffles 50
Flow
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Frequency of Riffles
Width of Stream 10
Distance Between Riffles 50
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Frequency of Riffles
50 10
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Width of Stream 10
Distance Between Riffles 50
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Frequency of Riffles
100 10
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Width of Stream 10
Distance Between Riffles 100
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OPTIMAL Occurrence of riffles relatively
frequent Distance/Width lt 71 SUBOPTIMAL
Occurrence of riffles is infrequent Distance/Widt
h between 71 and 151 MARGINAL Occasional
riffle - Bottom contours provide some
habitat Distance/Width between 151 and
251 POOR Generally all flat water or shallow
riffles Poor habitat
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7 Frequency of Riffles
Optimal Range
Optimal
Poor Range
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8 Bank Stability
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Bank Erosion
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Bank Stability
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Bank Stability OPTIMAL lt 5 of bank affected
Banks stable - Evidence of erosion or bank
failure absent or minimal. Little potential for
future problems SUBOPTIMAL 5-30 of bank in
reach has areas of erosion Moderately stable.
Infrequent, small areas of erosion mostly healed
over. MARGINAL 30-60 of bank in reach has
areas of erosion Moderately unstable High erosion
potential during floods POOR 60-100 of bank
has erosional scars Raw (bare) areas frequent
along straight sections and bends Unstable -
Obvious bank sloughing
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8. Bank Stability
Poor Range
Optimal
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9 Bank Vegetative Protection
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Lack of vegetation - banks easily eroded
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• Optimal more than 90 of the streambank
  surfaces and immediate riparian zone covered by
  native vegetation
• Suboptimal 70-90 covered, But one class of
  plants is not well-represented. Disruption
  evident but not affecting full plant growth
  potential to any great extent.
• More than ½ of the potential plant stubble height
  remaining
• Marginal 50-70 covered, Disruption obvious
• Patches of bare soil or closely cropped
  vegetation common
• Less than ½ of the potential stubble height
  remaining
• Poor less than 50 covered, Disruption of
  vegetation is very high. Vegetation has been
  removed to 5 cm or less in average stubble
  height

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9 Bank Vegetative Protection
Optimal
Poor Range
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Riparian Zone
Provides shade Filters runoff Provides food
(leaves stems) Wildlife habitat
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10 Riparian Vegetative Zone Width
Optimal width is around 18 meters 60 feet
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Human-made alterations such as Roads Parkin
g Lots Fields (crops or grazing)
Lawns Bare Soil Buildings (barns, houses,
etc.) Golf Courses
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OPTIMAL Ø Width of riparian zone gt 18 meters
(60 ft) Ø Human-made alterations have not
impacted zone SUBOPTIMAL Ø Width of riparian
zone 12-18 meters (37-60 ft) Ø Human activities
have impacted zone only minimally MARGINAL
Ø Width of riparian zone 6-12 meters (19-37
ft) Ø Human activities have impacted zone a great
deal POOR Ø Width of riparian zone lt6 meters
(19 ft) Ø Littler or no riparian vegetation due
to human activities
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RBP - physical and chemical parameters
How Wide is this Riparian Zone?

• 3. Riparian vegetation
• Width of the vegetation zone on either side of
  the stream

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RBP - physical and chemical parameters
How Wide is this Riparian Zone?

• 3. Riparian vegetation
• Width of the vegetation zone on either side of
  the stream

0 ft.
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10. Riparian Vegetative Zone Width
Poor Range
Optimal
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Lets Practice in the Creek
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The End
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Cut Bank
Point Bar